DigiDesign Digidesign Pro Tools 8.0, Reference Manual

Page: 39 / 1112

Chapter 2: Pro Tools Concepts 21
Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode
Active and Inactive modes are powerful options
for session transfer and system resource manage-
ment. Pro Tools provides automatic and manual
Inactive mode switching. You can manually
make items inactive (or active) to selectively
manage system resources while editing and mix-
ing.
Automatically Inactive Items
When opening a session, it is possible that not
all signal paths, plug-ins, or audio interfaces
used in the session will be available as defined
on the current system. When opening a session,
sufficient voices may also be unavailable if the
session was created on a different Pro Tools sys-
tem type (for example, opening a session created
on a Pro Tools HD system on a Pro Tools LE sys-
tem).
Whenever this occurs, the session will open as it
was last saved. All items that are unavailable, or
cannot be loaded due to insufficient resources,
are made inactive.
Manual Inactive Switching
You can manually apply Active or Inactive
modes to manage system resources. By making
an item inactive, its associated resources are
made available elsewhere in the session.
DigiBase
DigiBase is a database management tool for
Pro Tools. DigiBase expands upon basic
Pro Tools search and import capabilities by pro-
viding powerful tools to manage your data both
inside and outside of your sessions, on any hard
drive connected to the system.
A database is a way of organizing data such that
it can easily be searched, sorted, managed, and
utilized. Your checkbook is an example of a da-
tabase file. For every check you write, you enter
a new record. That record contains information
about the check, such as when you wrote it, to
whom you wrote it, and for what amount. This
information is written in specific columns, or
fields. Everything you need to know (the check’s
metadata ) is there, even though the check itself
is not.
DigiBase browsers let you search, sort, and
mange these databases by volume or catalog
(DigiBase Pro only). You can use DigiBase
browsers not only to organize your Pro Tools
sessions and media files (audio, MIDI, and
video), but also to audition and import by drag
and drop.
For more information about DigiBase, see
“DigiBase” on page 223.